THE camp of former House of Representatives speaker Martin Romualdez questioned on Wednesday what it described as the Ombudsman’s unusual “fixation” on the lawmaker despite the withdrawal of accusations against him.
Romualdez’s legal counsel and spokesman Ade Fajardo said in a statement that the Ombudsman appeared to be determined to build a case against his client despite what he called a lack of credible evidence.
”We cannot understand why they are paying so much attention to — and putting so much pressure on — representative Romualdez. After all, there is no credible evidence,” Fajardo said in Filipino.
Fajardo noted that other high-ranking officials and lawmakers previously linked to the alleged flood control scam by the so-called 18 Maleta Boys were no longer being pursued by the Ombudsman after witnesses withdrew or disowned their allegations.
”All the high-ranking government officials have effectively dropped out of the picture after the ‘Maleta Boys’ backtracked, and the majority claimed ignorance regarding the alleged deliveries — leading to their removal from the list and, presumably, their exoneration,” Fajardo said.
”Yet, the Ombudsman has persisted, seemingly singling out our client as the only one left,” he added.
Fajardo said five of the “Maleta Boys,” including witness Orly Guteza, had withdrawn their accusations against Romualdez.
”They filed a formal affidavit, not a press release,” he said.
Fajardo added that the retractions were backed by statements from 25 colleagues of the recanting witnesses who also disputed the original allegations.
”That is why we are puzzled as to why they are treating the former speaker this way. It seems like they are taking things too personally against him,” Fajardo said.
The Ombudsman previously tagged Romualdez as a “central figure” in the diversion of public funds intended for flood control projects amounting to billions.
He has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Romualdez has submitted to the Ombudsman a supplemental counter-affidavit attaching sworn statements from 25 former drivers and security aides of former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co to show that there is no strong evidence of his guilt.
Fajardo urged the Ombudsman to resolve the complaints based on evidence, rather than on labels made public while the investigation remains pending.
